A Letter from Pastor Jack Baca
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!" Isaiah 6:8Dear Followers of Jesus in The Village Church,
I'm writing today to let you know that Session has recently decided that it is time for us to begin a search for our next Associate Pastor.
As you know, Jan Cook has been serving for nearly two years as our Interim Associate Pastor. We have come to love her and to appreciate her many gifts and contributions through her pastoral care, staff leadership, preaching, teaching, and prayers. Jan actually retired from ministry several years ago, but then felt the call from God to come and serve with us for a limited time. We are grateful. And now, we need to move on to discover who God has in mind to serve with us in the next season of ministry and life as our permanent, Associate Pastor. Jan is fully aware of this decision and completely in support, as she states in a companion letter to this one.
A search process takes prayer, time, and the considerable investment of many people's time and energy. I am confident this process will be transparent, deliberate, and conducted according to the highest standards and practices. For many months, Session has benefitted from the counsel of a highly regarded group, Center Consulting, to help us prepare for this transition. Our staff is also fully apprised of this decision and fully in support.
Our staffing plan for the past few years (and for years to come, we believe) will include leadership from a Pastor, Associate Pastor, and many Directors, as well as others. We are blessed with highly committed and competent individuals filling these positions. Our Associate Pastor provides support for the Pastor in all areas of ministry, with a special focus on leading the Staff and managing the vast array of ministries that our congregation enjoys. Yours Truly now focuses on preaching, teaching, pastoral ministry, and overall organizational leadership.
I encourage you to continue visiting this website
to read more about the search process. Many, if not all, of your questions, will be answered. In the coming weeks and months, we will create an Associate Pastor Nominating Committee, and in about 12-15 months, we'll expect to welcome our new Associate.
While transition of any kind can be difficult, it is also part and parcel of life, and an opportunity for us to grow and to walk further down the pathway of following where the Lord leads us. I am eager to learn how God will bless us as we welcome a new Associate, and I am confident that you will be in prayer as we enter this season of church life together.
Blessings,
Jack
A Letter from Interim Associate Pastor Jan Cook
"I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me because he considered me faithful and appointed me to his service." 1 Timothy 1:12Dear Friends,
What an exciting time to be part of The Village Church here in Rancho Santa Fe! This congregation is loving, kind, tough, and determined. With the clear mission of Following Jesus for Life, you have nourished this community with a heart and soul that reflects Christ's love. You are all doing marvelous work for the kingdom.
After retiring in May of 2021, I never imagined God would have another assignment for me. Serving this congregation as an Interim Associate has been a thrill and a joy. My goal has been to help our church continue to grow towards a healthier, more vibrant, and capable staff and elevate our professional standards to reflect an excellence that glorifies God. The Village Church has been blessed with a vital and thriving congregation and an incredible staff. I have witnessed the staff grow in abilities, faith, creativity, collegiality, and commitment to serving the kingdom through service to you. And we will continue to grow and hone our relationships and leadership in each ministry area.
I am honored to help pave the way for the permanent Associate Pastor. Your leaders are working hard to discern the next most faithful steps. The Presbyterian Church's beautiful polity involves a deliberate and thorough process. If you wish to learn more details about the process, you can access them on this website.
I have communicated with the Transition Team that I am committed to this congregation until the marvelous occasion of a new permanent Associate Pastor becomes a reality. Then, we will all celebrate together! Until then, I will continue to serve you in worship, counsel, care, and friendship.
Warmly,
Rev. Janice Y. Cook
Dear Church Family,
It's been nearly two years since we welcomed the Rev. Janice Cook to join us as our interim Associate Pastor. We have all grown to love Jan for her leadership, her beautiful prayers and sermons, and her loving care of our congregation. It is necessary, however, to begin the search process for our permanent Associate Pastor. Session has voted to formally begin that process.
We trust that God has great plans for The Village Church. We ask all of you to pray for our church and for the Nominating Committee as they find candidates for the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC). This process typically takes about a year to accomplish and the San Diego Presbytery will support us throughout. There will be regular communication with the congregation as we move through this important season.
Jan plans to be with us throughout the transition, so we will continue to enjoy fellowship with her. We have put together some FAQs that answer questions about the upcoming process. Feel free to contact us through the church office if you would like additional information.
We are eager to see everyone at a Congregational Meeting that will be held once the Nominating Committee has identified candidates for the APNC. Please watch for the announcement of this meeting.
Sincerely,
The Session of the Village Community Presbyterian Church
Tony Cason, Bob Dauner, Michael Dyer, Bob Frey, Jason Karches, Nicola Kelly, Kathleen Loftman, Francie Murphy, Mary Procter, Geri Tayler, Christie Wilson, Gena Wilson, and Laura Metzger (Clerk of Session)
June 26, 2024: The Committee on Ministry of the San Diego Presbytery approves the church's plans to hire an Associate Pastor.
July 29, 2024: The Congregation's Nominating Committee begins meeting to select the proposed members of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC).
*September 2024: Congregational meeting for our church to approve the APNC nominees.
*September 2024: The new APNC is in place developing a job description and conducting a nationwide search.
*July 2025: Vetting candidates for new Associate Pastor and choosing a final candidate.
*Fall of 2025: Vote of the congregation for new Associate Pastor.
*Dates are approximate
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is The Village Church conducting a search for a new Associate Pastor?
An Associate Pastor is integral to our church's mission and ministry, assisting with worship, pastoral care, and overseeing a large group of ministry directors and deacons. The Reverend Jan Cook has excelled in her role as Interim Associate Pastor since she joined us in the fall of 2022. The time has come to identify who God is calling to serve our congregation on a permanent basis.
While we carry out the formal components of a pastoral job search, we will pray for God's presence each step of the way.
2. Why can't Jan Cook take the job?
The Village Church is extremely grateful that Rev. Jan Cook came out of retirement in 2022 to help expand upon the role of our Associate Pastors. She has worked closely with Pastor Jack to bring spiritual care and leadership development to the church staff as they embraced new director roles with elevated levels of responsibility. Pastor Jan accepted this post with the full intention it would be temporary, making it clear she was willing to stay until the church found a permanent replacement to serve the congregation and staff.
3. Is the church conducting a nationwide search or just considering candidates in California?
The Village Church will conduct a nationwide search, using standard job posting agencies. An Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC) comprised of church members will be tasked with creating a job description and evaluating the candidates who apply.
4. What are the qualifications for the new Associate Pastor?
The parameters have not been established at this time, pending the formation of the APNC. But the ideal candidate will have experience as a Presbyterian pastor with a strong track record of worship leadership, spiritual care, and staff management.
In addition, the ideal candidate should have strong administrative skills with a deep understanding of spiritual care for the staff and congregation. 5. How long will it take to find the right candidate?
It typically takes between 12 and 15 months for a church of our size to choose the right candidate.
6. What is the financial impact on the church?
The salary of an Associate Pastor is in our current operations budget. The APNC works on a volunteer basis. There may be some costs associated with the search and hiring process, but these will be carefully managed.
7. Who is on The Village Church Nominating Committee and how will they choose the candidates to be on the APNC?
The congregation elects two members to serve on the Nominating Committee each year for a three- year term and Session appoints two serving elders to chair the committee. The current Nominating Committee is comprised of: Tom Bowman, Leslie Conner, Bill Hoehn, Jason Karches, Julie MacNeil, and Robin Singer with elders Tony Cason and Michael Dyer.
This Committee will identify a slate of candidates to serve on the APNC and present that slate for approval of the congregation. The process of identifying candidates for the APNC will begin immediately.
Once approved, the first item of business for the APNC will be the creation of a comprehensive job description, which will be approved by Session. Then, the job opening will be advertised nationwide. All applications for the position will be screened by the committee and qualified candidates will be invited for interviews. When a final candidate for the position is determined, the Congregation will vote to approve the terms of call.
Presbytery will support the APNC in providing consulting on the call process, vetting selected candidates, and when the final candidate is presented to Presbytery for examination.
8. Does the congregation have a say in who gets chosen?
Yes, the final candidate and terms of call for the candidate will be subject to an approval vote by the congregation.
9. I have friends who may be interested in the job. How do they submit their resumes?
A great way to find the ideal candidates is through connections among our congregation, Presbytery, and pastors. Please send us your recommendations at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We appreciate the gesture.
10. We love Pastor Jan and will miss her presence at The Village Church. Are there plans to honor her with a gathering of the congregation?
Of course! We have plenty of time to plan a wonderful celebration of her tenure at The Village Church. It is sure to be a memorable event. If you would like to be part of the planning, please let us know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. All are welcome to help us say thank you!
